This Charter Party of Affreightment Indented made & fully agreed upon this fourteenth Day of June Anno Domini One Thousand Seven hundred & seventy five ー Between Jacob Boardman Merchant, John Harbert Blockmaker and Joseph Stanwood Mariner all of Newbury Port in the County of Essex and Province of the Massachusetts Bay, Owners of the good Schooner, nam'd the Britaniae of the Portlage or Burthen of Eighty Eight Tons, now laying in the Harbour of said Newbury Port whereof Abel Coffin is at present Master on the one Part; and Elbridge Gerry, Moses Gill, Benjamin Lincoln, John Pitt and David Cheever Esqrs as a Committee of Supplies for the Colony of Massachusetts Bay, on the other Part, Witnesseth, That the said Jacob, John & Joseph for the Consideration hereinafter mentioned, have granted & letten to Freight ー unto the said; Gerry, Gill, Lincoln, Pitt, and Chever, as a Committee aforesaid; all the whole Hull or Body of the said Schooner Britaniae, together with all and singular her Masts, Yards, Booms, Bowsprite, Rigging, Sails, Cables, Anchors, Boat Stores & Appurtenances whatsoever to her belonging and They the said Gerry Gill, Lincoln, Pitt, and Chever, as a Committee aforesaid, have in like Manner, hired & taken the same Schooner of the said Jacob, John, & Joseph for a Voyage or Voyages with the said Schooner to be made from said Newbury-Port, to all or any of the WestIndia Islands, and directly back to any Part of New England, & to the said Newbury Port, the Place of the said Schooner's right & intended Discharge, and the said Jacob, John, & Joseph for themselves, their Heirs, Executors, & Administrs do covenant grant & agree to and with the said Gerry, Gill, Lincoln, Pitt, and Chever, as Committee aforesaid, by these Presents in Manner following that is to say, that the said Schooner now is, and during the Voyage & Voyages aforesaid, shall be staunch & strong, well & sufficiently Tackel'd, Appareled furnished and prepared with all Things necessary for such a Vessell in the said Voyage or Voyages, and also that it shall and may be lawful to and for the said Gerry, Gill, Lincoln, Pitt and Chever as Committee aforesaid their Successors in Office, & their Factors or Assigns as well at the said Newbury Port, as at any other Port, or place whatsoever when the said Schooner hath a Right to go to or touch at during the aforesd Voyage by Virtue of this Charter Party to lade & put on board her, of all such lawful Goods Wares and Merchandize as She can conveniently stow & carry ー And in Consideration whereof the said Gerry, Gill, Lincoln, Pitt and Chever as Committee af oresd for themselves & their Successors in Office, do by these Presents Covenant and agree to and with the said Jacob John & Joseph their Executrs Administrs Assigns in manner following that is to say that the said Gerry, Gill, Lincoln Pitt, and Chever as Committee aforesaid or their Successors in Office shall and will sufficiently victuall & man & pay all Port Charges during the aforesaid Voyage or Voyages, and that the Master of the said Schooner shall not alter nor deviate in the Voyage before mentioned nor use any unlawful or contraband Trade, nor do any Act or Thing whatsoever whereby the said Vessell shall be liable or subject to any Seizure, Detention or Confiscation, during the Voyage aforesd and also that in Case the said Vessel shall happen to be seized & condemned for using any contraband or unlawful Trade, or lost at Sea, or any otherwise, during the Prosecution of the Voyage aforesd that then the said Gerry, Gill, Lincoln, Pitt and Chever as aforesaid or their Successors in Office shall & will well & truly pay unto the said Jacob, John & Joseph the Sum of Four Hundred Pounds in full for the Value and worth of the said Schooner, and also the Freight Money that shall be then due, after the Rate mention'd untill the Time of Condemnation of the said Vessell ー and further that the said Jerry, Gill, Lincoln, Pitt, and Chever as Committee aforesaid or their Successors in Office shall & will well & truly pay or cause to be paid unto the said Jacob John & Joseph for the full Freight and Hire of the said Schooner Britaniae after the Rate of Twenty three Pounds nine shillings and four Pence, for each and every Callendar Month and so in proportion for a Part of a Month as the said Schooner shall be in the said Service from the Time of her entering into Pay which commences on the fourteenth Day of June Instant to the Time of her Discharge at Newbury Port aforesaid. And to the true & faithful Performances of all & singular the Convenants, Articles & Agreements aforewritten whereof the Parties for their respective Parts & in their Capacities aforesaid bind & oblige themselves their Heirs Executrs & Adminsstrs Or Successors in Office unto the other of them their Executors

Administrs & Assigns or Successors in Office in the Penal Sum of Eight hundred Pounds firmly by these Presents: In Witness whereof the Parties aforesaid hath here unto interchangeably set their Hands & Seals, the Day & Year first aforewritten.

Signed Sealed & delivered in Presence of us Lowd Kollock Wm Hunt